In recognition of World Sleep Day 2025, the International Medical Center-Beijing (IMC) is proud to host a free community seminar focused on addressing adult sleep difficulties. The seminar aims to alleviate the societal burden of sleep problems through improved prevention and management of sleep disorders.

The seminar will be held in person, providing opportunities for discussions on various aspects of adult sleep difficulties, sleep problems in adults with ADHD, holistic treatment options for insomnia (without medication), how your dreams and brain waves affect your sleep, and overall impact of sleep on health and well-being, among others.

The seminar will be an in-person event, providing an interactive platform for attendees to engage with Dr. Mehrvarz and gain valuable insights into managing sleep disorders.

Dr. Mike Mehrvarz, Ph.D., is a licensed Adult and Child Psychologist with extensive training and experience in psychological assessment and treatment. Dr. Mehrvarz is also licensed to practice in China and specializes in addressing psychologically related medical issues, such as sleep disorders, without the use of medication.

Sleep disorders are a growing concern worldwide, affecting millions of adults and significantly impacting their quality of life. This seminar offers an opportunity to learn from an expert in the field and explore holistic approaches to improving sleep health. Whether you are struggling with sleep difficulties or simply interested in understanding more about the importance of sleep, this event promises to be informative and beneficial.

To secure your seat, please register via the IMC reception QR code. The seminar will be scheduled once a minimum of eight participants have registered. This ensures a conducive environment for meaningful discussions and personalized attention.

Don’t miss this chance to gain valuable knowledge and practical strategies for managing sleep disorders.

Find it:
Sat, Mar 29, from 2pm to 3.30pm
International Medical Center-Beijing (IMC)
Rm S110, 1/F, Lufthansa Center Office Building, 50 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District

Images: Pexels, IMC

A well-rested kid is a happy kid. If you don’t know what lack of sleep does to a young kid, you’re in for a surprise. I know that when it happens to my children, they become these grumpy little monsters which get irritated by everything and everyone.

How Lack of Sleep Affects Your Kid’s Learning 

Parents agree that not getting enough sleep results in drowsy, whiny kids who you don’t really want to be around (although you’d never admit it). Late bedtimes can contribute to hyperactivity and acting out. But it’s not only about their lack of cuteness the next day. Short-term sleep deprivation can negatively affect learning and school work.

According to a study conducted by the Center for Educational Neuroscience, just one hour of sleep deprivation each night in 6-8 year olds over the course of one week, results in changes in brain activity during simple tasks of attention and speech perception.

So going to bed early is essential not only for peace at home and the kids’ overall health and well-being, but also for their academic excellence. So, why do we allow late bedtimes, and how late is too late?

How Much Sleep Do Kids Need?

Even though no parent needs a reminder on how important sleeping habits are for children as they transition from baby to toddler to child and adolescent, we all tend to loosen the reins sometimes and let them stay up late.

The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) recommends the following age-appropriate bedtimes (and sleep needs, naps included):

0-3 months old: No recommended bedtime (14-17 hours of sleep)
4-6 months:       7pm-8pm (12-16 hours of sleep)
7-11 months:      6pm-7.30pm (12-16 hours of sleep)
1-2 years old:     6pm-7.30pm (11-14 hours of sleep)
3-5 years old:     7.15pm-8.30pm (10-13 hours of sleep)
6-13 years old:   7.15pm-9pm (9-11 hours of sleep)

If you think this schedule is impossible to follow, you’re not alone. With kids having after-school activities and homework and the sun being up until 8pm, going to bed at 7pm is quite unrealistic. So how important is sticking to a consistent bedtime really? Dr. Yang Ming, Chair of Pediatrics at Beijing United Family Hospital says “The overall sleep times listed are accurate but parents don’t need to worry so much about the bedtime as some kids will take naps during the day and kids will usually wake up at different times.”

Here’s What Parents Say About Their Kids Sleeping Habits…

For S.W., a Beijing mom of two little girls, sticking to a bedtime routine and early bedtime is essential: “My kids are 2 and 4 years old. Usually, I get them ready at around 7ish and they are sleeping by 8pm. It takes about thirty minutes to get the teeth brushed, the hair combed, and both girls into their pajamas. Then I read two books of choice and the big one falls asleep while reading. The little one loves some extra one-on-one time with mommy and keeps awake, so usually I rock and nurse her to sleep.”

When things don’t go according to the plan, the kids get fussy and tired: “I am quite right about bedtime and keeping to the schedule. When we don’t, which usually only happens during special events, the evening is fine, but the day after they are just too tired to be able to be in a good mood.”

For Jean-Mare Kuipers, another Beijing mom, deviating from the routine is allowed on weekends: “I allow my daughter to stay up later on Fridays and Saturdays because then she can sleep in the next morning, but on school nights she needs to be in bed by 10pm latest, otherwise she will be moaning a lot the next day and be more prone to throwing tantrums. If she goes to bed late, I have to wake [her]up in the morning, and she gets really irritated. I prefer her waking up by herself, ’cause when she wakes up by herself she’s also much happier.”

Dr. Paul Rochon, Director of the Sleep and Mental Health Department at Raffles Hospital Beijing, agrees on the importance of wake-up time: “It’s not about early or late, it’s about being consistent in their wake-up time. Indeed, morning “time-givers” such as sunlight, food, and exercise are the most important for the daytime energy and for the next night sleep. Our body needs to be synchronized every day, so by waking up at the same time and using those time-givers, it will fix the biological clock and make sure that the next 24 hours will be perfect.”

“We start our bedtime routine around 8.30pm and he’s in bed by 9, 9.15pm,” says Tijana Nedeljkovic, a mom of a seven-year-old boy. “Sometimes it takes 10-15 minutes longer to make him go to bed because he’s trying to delay going to sleep by asking questions, asking for more water and such. But everything later than 10pm is too late.” She continues: “Later bedtimes usually only happen when he naps during the day on weekends and he’s not tired at his usual bedtime. If he goes to bed late during the week, waking him up for school is nearly impossible and he’s tired the whole day.”

Even though we know that good quality sleep helps our children deal with emotions, focus, think, and grow healthy, sometimes we can’t help but let them have that extra hour watching their favorite cartoon or playing with their new toy.

So, what time is your kid’s bedtime? Let us know in the comments!

Images: Pexels

Have you ever wondered if counting sheep before sleep actually works? How about sleeping naked? Or how much sleep should a teenager get? We got your burning questions answered through an interview with Dr. Rochon, biopsychologist from EngineeringSleep.

Dr. Rochon has a master’s in neuroscience and cognitive science with a doctorate specializing in sleep and different stages of consciousness. Studying both biology and psychology, he became a biopsychologist, finding sleep as the perfect link between these disciplines.

“For me, the link between biology and psychology is represented by sleep. Sleep is the most accurate way to touch biological or psychological problems,” says Dr. Rochon.

1. What is the circadian rhythm and why is it important?

The circadian rhythm is the most important part of sleep that people aren’t familiar with. It is a clock inside of your brain that dictates how your body works. Synchronizing this clock with the outside world is critical. The circadian clock is actually in the middle of your brain, controlling your eyes, absorbing light from the sun as well as managing your habits.

Take the example of social jetlag. Social jetlag is when your circadian rhythm is a little bit later. This is when people wake up later during the weekend, which means they have access to light later, desynchronizing their circadian rhythm. For instance, if you see the light at 10am today, then your body will prepare you to see it at the same time tomorrow, instead of earlier. So this is why you are tired on Mondays since your body follows what you told it to do the day before. Therefore, it is best to stick to the same wake-up schedule every day.  

2. Does sleeping naked help with your sleep?

For some people, I think it’s a good idea, but it depends. Chinese medicine actually talks about it since when people sleep naked they can make their surroundings warmer. But again, it’s about lowering your body temperature and the easiest way to cool down is to take off your clothes. I think it’s more linked with the psychology of habits. So if you like to do it, you should do it.

3. When should an average teenager go to sleep? How much sleep should they get?

Teenagers have a circadian rhythm a little bit later than normal people. That means biologically, they are already pushed to go to bed later and wake up later. Why? This is due to melatonin, which is a hormone that tells you it’s dark outside. Melatonin secretion is common for teenagers, so naturally, teens would go to sleep later. And their late social events add to this phenomenon.

What we need to do as teens is to be sure that we wake up at the same time every day instead of sleeping in. Thus, it’s not about how long we sleep, it’s more about how we sleep and wake up. So even if we don’t get enough sleep, we can recover later through naps.

4. Does counting sheep work?

This idea concerns the psychological aspect. Counting sheep is not a bad idea but it works differently for different people. So, the more you can visualize in your head, it’s easier to fall asleep. Yet if you count the sheep just for the sake of counting, it doesn’t work because you will go into sleep control thinking. This is where one story leads to another and another, making it difficult to sleep. It’s also true that if you can relax your muscles through a breathing technique, it’s easier to sleep.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, get in touch with Dr. Rochon!

Website: engineeringsleep.com

WeChat: sleep-cognition

Images: Unsplash, Canva, Pexels, Dr. Rochon

Have you ever wondered why you feel unusually tired on Monday mornings? Or whether sleeping more really help you grow taller? We got your burning questions answered through an interview with Dr. Rochon, a biopsychologist from Engineering Sleep.

Dr. Rochon has a master’s in neuroscience and cognitive science with a doctorate specializing in sleep and different stages of consciousness. Studying both biology and psychology, he became a biopsychologist, finding sleep as the perfect link between both disciplines.

“For me, the link between biology and psychology is represented by sleep. Sleep is the most accurate way to touch biological or psychological problems,” says Dr. Rochon

1. What can you do before going to sleep that will improve your sleep quality?

The most important part is your access to light. The more you dim your lights during the evening, the more easily you will fall asleep and sleep deeply. This should be a part of your routine. When you form a routine in your brain by activating different kinds of behaviors, it will prepare your brain to fall asleep faster and deeper.

Another thing you should do is to cool down your body, so your bedroom should be at about 20 to 21 degrees Celsius. If you want to sleep faster, stay in your living room until you start to have biological signs of sleep like yawning, and then you can go back to your bedroom. Going to sleep is not something passive, it’s active, so you have to prepare for it.

2. Do you need less sleep as you get older?

Instead of sleeping less, I would say we need the same amount of sleep, but as you get older, you will separate this amount. We go back to a baby way of sleeping, where you would sleep for an hour and a half and then wake up and then go to sleep.

3. How much time and when should you nap during the day if you don’t get enough sleep?

The best time is usually approximately six hours after you wake up. It’s usually after lunch, but for some people who wake up earlier, it’s during lunch or before lunch. This time of the day is the best to take a nap for about 20 minutes to 30 minutes so that you don’t go into deep sleep. If you do it, don’t do it on your bed. Do it somewhere that you don’t associate with sleep. Yet, for people who have trouble falling asleep, I don’t recommend naps.

4. Can you really grow taller if you sleep more?

If you have a healthy sleeping schedule, like going to bed and waking up the same time every day, then you will have more growth hormones. The first three hours of your sleep are especially significant since it is considered deep sleep where the most growth hormones are secreted. This is more important for younger children, which means parents should reinforce the time they go to bed. In short, for teens, if you miss the first three hours of your usual sleep schedule, you will also miss the opportunity to excrete growth hormones that day.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, get in touch with Dr. Rochon! 

Website: engineeringsleep.com

Wechat ID: sleep-cognition

Images: Unsplash, Canva, Pexels, Dr. Rochon

It’s safe to say we are all under more than a little extra stress lately. The constant uncertainty of the current situation is affecting every aspect of our lives, from school and jobs to when or if we will be able to get back to our home countries to see our families. And this kind of prolonged stress needs to be handled carefully, not only for us but also for our kids.

According to Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child, toxic stress “can have a cumulative toll on an individual’s physical and mental health—for a lifetime. The more adverse experiences in childhood, the greater the likelihood of developmental delays and later health problems.” The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study found that “toxic stress has the potential to change your child’s brain chemistry, brain anatomy, and even gene expression. Toxic stress weakens the architecture of the developing brain, which can lead to lifelong problems in learning, behavior, and physical and mental health.”

Some signs of unmanaged stress in children include changes in eating patterns, excessive weight gain or loss, changes in sleep patterns, sudden moody or aggressive behavior, lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities, and uncontrollable crying.

But there is good news. The same Harvard article states that the difference between toxic stress and tolerable stress is protective relationships. “If the activation is time-limited and buffered by relationships with adults who help the child adapt, the brain and other organs recover from what might otherwise be damaging effects.” In other words, if we help our children acknowledge and manage their stress it can go a long way to mitigating these negative physiological reactions.

But how to do that? I reached out to two local specialists, Dalida Turkovic, a mindfulness coach with over 20 years of experience and an executive at the Beijing Mindfulness Centre (BMC), and Dr. Paul Rochon, a bio-psychologist, neuroscientist, and the founder of the companies Engineering Sleep and Engineering Wellbeing, for their advice.

The first thing to remember is you need to manage your own stress before you can effectively help your child manage theirs. Turkovic suggests grounding practices, which can be as brief as two minutes, to help lower your stress levels and the resulting hormone influx. “Pause to notice an object and look at shapes and colors, textures and details,” says Turkovic. “Notice how your breath enters your body, just notice the coolness of breath in your nostrils. Feel your feet flat on the floor and make a few slow steps while staying connected. Touch your fingertips with great awareness, move toward your palm, notice sensations.” She stresses that these practices don’t need to be perfect – a wandering mind is normal and consistent use is more important than perfect focus.

You can guide your child through this same exercise using simple, approachable vocabulary. As Turkovic says, “Thoughts are like buses – let your child learn that they don’t have to take each thought as a reality. If each thought is a bus, which bus do they want to get on? Let them spend a few minutes noticing how buses come and go and they get on a bus that is taking them in the direction of calm, resourcefulness, and joy. Who is riding the bus? Once they get on the bus let all emotions be there too: sadness, worry, anger, joy, anxiety. Ask them who is riding the bus and how would the journey be with that driver being in control. How do other passengers feel about that driver taking the lead? What are the options? Where do they want to go?”

It’s also important to help your child name their feelings and emotions. Turkovic suggests encouraging them to journal, write comforting letters to themselves, or draw as a way to work through their feelings. The BMC also has tools like communication cards that can help your child develop the vocabulary to share their feelings in a healthy way.

Another controllable factor in an uncontrollable situation is your child’s sleep patterns. With the constant shuffling between in-person and online learning, it’s easy for a child’s schedule to become inconsistent, which can trigger or exacerbate their stress level. “Too much stress is correlated to high activation of our sympathetic nervous system, which produces a lot of stress hormones,” Dr. Rochon explains. “When our stress hormones stay too long in our body, it becomes harmful and doesn’t allow the mind and the body to relax enough to activate the sleep pattern.”

Dr. Rochon encourages keeping a ritualized relaxation routine that begins 90 minutes before bedtime: “Always starting by dimming the light as much as possible, then doing the same thing every night in the same order (massage, imagination, stories, writing our worries in a notebook, etc.).” He also suggests doing simple breathing exercises to help your child manage their stress and prepare for sleep. As they are lying in bed, help them take a short inhale for two seconds, followed by a long exhale for five seconds. Repeat this over and over until the pattern has become natural.

Of course, sometimes we all need a little extra help. The Beijing Mindfulness Centre, Engineering Sleep, and Engineering Well-Being each offer various wellness services. You can scan the QR codes below to reach out for more information.

In the meantime, keep communicating with your children. Be sure to give yourself plenty of self-care, and be kind and patient with each other as we all work through the current uncertainty.

Images: Dalida Turkovic, Dr Rochon

KEEP READING: Panic Groceries About to Go Bad? Try this.

Today is World Sleep Day! Hosted by the World Sleep Society, 2022’s theme and slogan is “Quality Sleep, Sound Mind, Happy World” – because that’s just how important sleep is. You probably already know this though, if you think back to the last time you stayed up late and were extra tense the following day. Stay up late enough most days and you might just find your scale tipping over a little more bit by bit, day by day. Sleep, it seems, is the symptom, the problem, and also the cure for so many of our issues.

That last part was essentially a quote from Dr. Paul Rochon, founder of Beijing-based sleep clinic Engineering Sleep. He works with many international schools and businesses to lead knowledge and behavioral workshops for youth and adults alike.

For Dr. Rochon, it all started when a sports injury ended his professional rugby career and kickstarted his interest in biopsychology, the study of how your biology influences your psychology. He went on to get his Ph.D. in Cognitive Science and subsequently focused his work within the sleep medical network. We asked Dr. Rochon to share a few of his insights into the science of sleep, as well as his favorite tips to catch better ZZZs every night.

My son doesn’t want to go to bed, then has trouble waking up in the morning for school. What am I doing wrong?
The main thing here is consistency. I know you probably don’t want to hear this but you need a good bedtime routine to help you prime your body and mind to get ready for restorative sleep. We usually set up these routines for our kids but we forget them as adults. Also, you need to go to sleep and wake up at the same time, yes, even on the weekends.

So what does your bedtime routine like?
About an hour and a half, before I go to bed, I begin my routine by dimming the lights. I do the same thing in the same order every single day. The most important thing I do every night is to slow down my breath and visualize that before I go to sleep. Some things that are suitable for anyone’s bedtime routine include showering, reading, writing, listening to music, cleaning, talking, getting massages, pyjamas and socks… but all this must take place outside of the bedroom.

What’s the most common sleep problem you see at your clinic?
The most common problem is the misconception of how sleep works. People waking up in the middle of the night, asking “Why can’t I fall asleep when I go to bed earlier?” or “Why can I not sleep for eight hours?” That’s what I would say is the most common problem.

To help counter these misconceptions, Dr. Rochon is organizing a discussion, where he will answer your questions and provide quality information to help make our nights better. Scan the QR code above to register for the free event!

From the World Sleep Day website, “World Sleep Day is an annual event, intended to be a celebration of sleep and a call to action on important issues related to sleep, including medicine, education, social aspects, and driving. It is organized by the World Sleep Day Committee of the World Sleep Society and aims to lessen the burden of sleep problems on society through better prevention and management of sleep disorders. World Sleep Day is held the Friday before Spring Vernal Equinox of each year.”

KEEP READING: Ya Don’t Snooze, Ya Do Lose: The Importance of Adequate Sleep

Images: Courtesy of Dr. Rochon, Unsplash

Since Jul 12, we have officially been in the 三伏天 Sān fú tiān or “dog days in summer” season, which lasts until Aug 20 and coincides with the year’s highest temperatures and humidity levels. It’s also peak season for related illnesses such as heat-stroke and diarrhea. Fun!

While there is no magical cure to protect you from being a hot, sweaty mess most of the time, there are a few pearls of TCM wisdom that can help. Follow these golden rules, and you’ll get through the dog days like a pampered pooch instead.

Keep your exercise indoors and at a lower intensity than usual
Don’t stay outdoors for too long, and focus on less intense, indoor workouts like swimming and yoga. Remember to drink plenty of water before you exercise, and keep up your energy levels with light and healthy snacks such as bananas and small handfuls of nuts.

Watch out for the dreaded “AC disease”
The air conditioning is cranked to the max in most Beijing offices right now, creating significant temperature differences between indoors and outdoors. If possible, try to keep the room temperature around 26 degrees, and dry off any perspiration before entering office spaces, so that your body does not react badly to the stark temperature difference. Oh, and avoid sitting directly in the stream of cold air in the office.

Stay hydrated
This sounds like very basic advice, but many of us fail at staying hydrated in the hot weather. While the ‘drink eight glasses of water a day’ adage has been disproven, you do generally need to up your water intake in hot weather quite significantly, and even a desk jockey office worker can easily get through a liter or more. Avoid caffeinated drinks as they are diuretics, and if you do get dehydrated, take small sips of water rather than chugging it down all at once, as this may prove too much for your system.

Get enough sleep
During summer, your body metabolism is actually more active than in cold weather, which means more energy consumption, which can lead to you feeling tired. Getting enough sleep is always important, but you have to be even more vigilant in the summertime when the long, bright days can lead to you staying up well past your bedtime.

Consume more protein
When you perspire heavily, the protein decomposition in your body is increased, so you need to continually replenish your protein intake. While it’s common to experience a decreased appetite during the hot weather, you should still make an effort to consume more protein-rich food such as beans, milk, and eggs.

Get a boost with TCM 
Even if you’re following all of this advice, it can still be hard to stay on top of your health at this time of year. This is where a 三伏贴 sānfú tiē comes in handy. This is a special kind of herbal patch that is designed to target typical hot weather ailments like headaches, neck and shoulder pain, insomnia, and gastrointestinal discomfort. These patches are available at most local pharmacies, and also available on Taobao here.

Photos: Pixabay; Giphy

So here I am. 12 months after saying I would never encourage or enter into co-sleeping with my firstborn, I’m struggling to stop the cozy nights snuggled up with my little one in my arms and transition him from the parental bed to his cot. Lux not only sleeps with us, but also has formed the habit of shifting between mom and dad throughout the night for extra snuggles.

I’ve even woken to him planting drool covered kisses on my forehead before phasing back into a deep sleep. It goes without saying that he’s become particularly fond of sleeping with mom and dad and the intimacy of our nighttime ritual is proving difficult to break. Many new parents have been there, and transferring baby from bed to cot can be just as difficult for the parents as well as our little ones.

It turns out that I love co-sleeping, but as Lux has grown, my sleep is often broken by little palms and feet in my face, forehead nudges to my back, and topsy-turvy rumbles under the sheets. This boy moves – a lot. Apart from our need for a good night’s sleep; it would be nice for us to reclaim our bed as a child-free zone, and enjoy the extra stretching and spooning room!

The following are some tips that us newbie parents can try out. Here’s to helping you reclaim your bed too!

Keep it dark

Try and keep the bedroom dark at night and light during the day. This is to help baby know that the daytime is for waking and the nighttime is for sleeping. It’s extremely difficult, and even I struggle with this, but it’s also best to limit interaction with baby during the night – no baby talk, kissing, or cuddles, even when changing baby’s diaper. The aim is to limit interaction that may be interpreted as playing.

Have a routine

Having a routine helps baby to get into the rhythm of what to expect each evening. For example, we have bath time around 4.30-5pm, and then Lux will have a snack, which usually consists of fruit and yogurt or Chinese rice porridge. We try to limit play and if he’s in the mood I might be able to read him a story. Ideally the last few phases of your nighttime routine should take place in a quiet dark space, with as little stimuli as possible. At the 7.30pm mark he usually finally falls asleep – babies love continuity and your routine does not need to resemble this one, but should be one that works for you and your family.

Naps

This one is what the family and I are focusing on right now. Put your baby down for naps in his cot during the day. We are trying to normalize the cot and make it less scary to be left in there at night. Basically, we are trying to get Lux to become friends with his cot and familiar with this new space.

Try using a baby sleeper

We purchased a baby sleeper before Lux arrived. He is used to napping in this comfortable cocoon-like space, and so we are now using it to help him transition into his cot. If you don’t already have one, try one out and use it in the cot. It will help baby to feel more snug.

Use a favourite comforter, muslin, or piece of clothing

Lux is used to the smell of us lying next to him, and he also usually sleeps with his favourite muslin. Comforting smells and textures are perfect for sounder sleep. Transfer any muslins, comforters, or clothing that smells of you or the bed to the cot.

Swaddling

This never worked for us but for some parents, this is a game-changer. When Lux was first born, he was swaddled and took to it while in hospital and for the few first nights at home. However, although we are encouraged not to allow baby to sleep on his or her front, that’s the only way he would get a good nights sleep and therefore we had to give up the swaddling. He would always fight his way free (this may have been more down to my poor swaddling technique) and I decided to go with what worked for him and not what Google was telling me should work. Some parents though swear by it and its remedial effects for a better night’s sleep for you and baby. Give it a try.

Raise the head of the cot

Lux unfortunately did suffer from reflux. If your baby does, try raising the head of the cot by putting a book or two underneath it. Sleeping at an angle will help keep the stomach acid down.

How are you coping?

I genuinely would love to receive comments about how you might have got your baby to sleep in a cot rather than your bed, or comments about trying any of the above for the first time. Share below!

Photos: Pixabay

When I was pregnant I had a number of questions, most of which centered about the topic of baby’s sleep. Sleepless nights are to be expected when expecting and when a newborn arrives in the home. However there are definitely tried and tested practices that new mothers can put in place in order to soothe baby to sleep faster and extend sleep time for both mommy and baby.

Neglecting sleep cues

Newborn babies cry to communicate a need. When my little one first arrived, I would run havoc anticipating and figuring out what his every need was. Babies often provide different signals that can let mommy and daddy know that they need feeding, changing, and of course when they need to sleep. For a tired baby, signals for sleep can vary from sucking on fingers, to rubbing eyes, and yawing. Observe your baby and get familiar with their particular cue for sleep.

Remember that keeping a baby awake during the day in order that they get a better night sleep is a myth. Naps are extremely important for baby’s development and keep them from stints of overtiredness, making it easier for them to settle on an evening.

Not having a sleep routine

This one is for the little ones and us! Having a sleep routine winds the body down and prepares it for deep slumber. This one I was pretty good at putting into practice, but not so much for myself. I would start baby’s bedtime routine, with a warm bath, a warm bottle, a classical or jazz playlist (courtesy of Alexa and her baby sleep time playlists), and some white noise in the bedroom once the music is turned off.

Doing something similar on a regular basis sets your baby’s internal clock, helping them to fall asleep much easier. Try not to let baby fall asleep before all of these activities are done. Encourage baby to form the habit of sleeping asleep on their own by sitting him down in the crib, or if you’re co-sleeping, in the bed, just as he becomes drowsy. My personal tip is to buy a diffuser and use essential oils like lavender to help soothe baby and associate sleep time with particular fragrances, which also have holistic benefits for baby’s mind and body.

Turning the crib into a playroom

We are always told not to eat where we work and if like me, you often work from home, the golden rule is to separate your workspace from your leisure or rest areas; the same goes for babies for better play and sleep association. Try not to do other activities such as play in areas where your baby should sleep. The crib should be void of toys and other stimuli that will keep baby occupied with other than sleep. Consistency is key and don’t forget to turn off the TV; the flashing lights, color, and noise is a distraction for you and baby.

While my mom was staying with my family to help with my little one while he was a newborn, she would constantly remind me not to tiptoe around, once baby was asleep. Your baby is perfectly equipped to become familiar with the usual sounds at home and sleep right through them. I go in and out my baby’s sleeping area with ease while he sleeps and continue the evening as normal.

Relying on sleep crutches

I am still trying to get to grips with doing better when it comes to depending on a number of sleep crutches. Mine happens to rocking and used to be combined with nursing.  Other objects like pacifier, bottled milk, or stuffed animals can also become crutches dressed up as hacks. It’s no good in the long run because they cultivate a habit of dependency.

Try and phase out these sleep crutches and replace them with sleep associations like the ones I mentioned above. Set the tone and ambiance for your baby’s sleep environment – darken the room, play music or white noise, diffuse essential oils, and even thumb sucking can help baby, even when awoke during the middle of the night, to sleep on his own. This will help baby and you have a good night’s sleep. Here’s to pleasant dreams and sound sleep for mommies and daddies!

Photos: Pixabay